Umbrella Backpack Apparatus

ABSTRACT

An umbrella backpack apparatus for hands-free umbrella usage includes a back plate having an inner face, an outer face, a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge, and a right edge. A pole support is coupled to the outer face and extends from adjacent the bottom edge to adjacent the top edge. The pole support has a top side having a pole aperture extending through to proximal the bottom side. An umbrella is coupled to the pole support. The umbrella has an umbrella pole coupled within the pole aperture. A runner hub is slidingly coupled to the umbrella pole, a canopy is coupled to the umbrella pole, and a plurality of ribs is coupled between the runner hub and the canopy. The runner hub opens and alternatively collapses the canopy.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The disclosure and prior art relates to umbrellas and more particularly pertains to a new umbrella for hands-free umbrella usage.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a back plate having an inner face, an outer face, a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge, and a right edge. The back plate is flexible to accommodate a user's movements. A pair of straps is coupled to the back plate. Each of the straps extends from the inner face proximal the top edge to the bottom edge and is configured to be worn over the user's shoulders. A pole support is coupled to the back plate. The pole support is coupled to the outer face and extends from adjacent the bottom edge to adjacent the top edge. The pole support has a top side, a bottom side, and an outer wall. The top side has a pole aperture extending through to proximal the bottom side. An umbrella is coupled to the pole support. The umbrella has an umbrella pole coupled within the pole aperture. A runner hub is slidingly coupled to the umbrella pole, a canopy is coupled to the umbrella pole, and a plurality of ribs is coupled between the runner hub and the canopy. The runner hub opens and alternatively collapses the canopy.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an umbrella backpack apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new umbrella embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the umbrella backpack apparatus 10 generally comprises a back plate 12 having an inner face 14, an outer face 16, a top edge 18, a bottom edge 20, a left edge 22, and a right edge 24. The back plate 12 is flexible to accommodate a user's movements. The back plate 12 is rectangular. A pad 26 is coupled to the inner face 14. The pad 26 comprising a lower portion 28, a middle portion 30, and an upper portion 32. The lower portion, 28, the middle portion 30, and the upper portion 32 may be different padded materials to optimize comfort and support on the user's back. A pair of straps 34 is coupled to the back plate 12. Each of the straps 34 extends from the inner face 14 proximal the top edge 18 to the bottom edge 20. The pair of straps 34 is configured to be worn over the user's shoulders 36 and each strap 34 has a strap adjustment mechanism 38. A connector 40 is coupled to the pair of straps 34 and extends between the pair of straps 34. The connector 40 has a buckle 42 to join and alternatively separate the pair of straps 34 and a connector adjustment mechanism 44 to tighten and alternatively loosen the connector 40.

A pole support 46 is coupled to the outer face 16 and extends from adjacent the bottom edge 20 to adjacent the top edge 18. The pole support 46 has a top side 48, a bottom side 50, and an outer wall 52. The top side 48 has a pole aperture 54 extending through to proximal the bottom side 50. The outer wall 52 is rounded. An umbrella 56 is coupled to the pole support 46 and has an umbrella pole 58 coupled within the pole aperture 54. A runner hub 60 is slidingly coupled to the umbrella pole 58. A canopy 62 is coupled to the umbrella pole 58, and a plurality of ribs 64 is coupled between the runner hub 60 and the canopy 62. The runner hub 60 opens and alternatively collapses the canopy 62. A strap 65 may be coupled to the canopy 62 and has a mating member 67 to secure the canopy 62 in a closed position. The mating member 67 may comprise a hook-and-loop fastener or another type of releasable fastener including, but not limited to, snaps and the like. The runner hub 60 has a spring-loaded extension button 66 to selectively engage and disengage the umbrella pole 58. The umbrella pole 58 has a spring-loaded pole adjustment button 68. The pole adjustment button 68 is selectively engageable with a plurality of adjustment apertures 70 extending through the outer wall 52.

In use, the user slides the pair of straps 34 on her shoulders 36 and uses the strap adjustment mechanisms 38 to tighten and alternatively loosen the pair of straps 34. The user presses the extension button 66 to move the runner hub 60 along the umbrella pole 58 top open the canopy 62. The height of the umbrella 56 is adjusted using the pole adjustment button 68.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

1. An umbrella backpack apparatus comprising: a back plate, the back plate having an inner face, an outer face, a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge, and a right edge, the back plate being flexible to accommodate a user's movements; a pair of straps coupled to the back plate, each of the straps extending from the inner face proximal the top edge to the bottom edge, the pair of straps being configured to be worn over the user's shoulders; a pole support coupled to the back plate, the pole support being coupled to the outer face and extending from adjacent the bottom edge to adjacent the top edge, the pole support having a top side, a bottom side, and an outer wall, the top side having a pole aperture extending through to proximal the bottom side; an umbrella coupled to the pole support, the umbrella having an umbrella pole coupled within the pole aperture, a runner hub slidingly coupled to the umbrella pole, a canopy coupled to the umbrella pole, and a plurality of ribs coupled between the runner hub and the canopy, the runner hub opening and alternatively collapsing the canopy; a pad coupled to the back plate, the pad being coupled to the inner face, the pad comprising a lower portion, a middle portion, and an upper portion, each of the lower portion, middle portion, and upper portion being horizontally elongated and arranged in parallel; and a connector coupled to the pair of straps, the connector extending between the pair of straps and having a buckle and a connector adjustment mechanism to tighten and alternatively loosen the connector, the connector extending horizontally between the pair of straps and being coplanar with a horizontal junction between the upper portion and middle portion of the pad.
 2. The umbrella backpack apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the umbrella pole having a spring-loaded pole adjustment button, the pole adjustment button being selectively engageable with a plurality of adjustment apertures extending through the outer wall.
 3. The umbrella backpack apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the outer wall being rounded.
 4. The umbrella backpack apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the back plate being rectangular.
 5. The umbrella backpack apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the runner hub having a spring-loaded extension button, the extension button selectively engaging and disengaging the umbrella pole.
 6. (canceled)
 7. (canceled)
 8. The umbrella backpack apparatus of claim 1 further comprising each of the pair of straps having a strap adjustment mechanism.
 9. (canceled)
 10. An umbrella backpack apparatus comprising: a back plate, the back plate having an inner face, an outer face, a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge, and a right edge, the back plate being flexible to accommodate a user's movements, the back plate being rectangular; a pad coupled to the back plate, the pad being coupled to the inner face, the pad comprising a lower portion, a middle portion, and an upper portion, each of the lower portion, middle portion, and upper portion being horizontally elongated and arranged in parallel; a pair of straps coupled to the back plate, each of the straps extending from the inner face proximal the top edge to the bottom edge, the pair of straps being configured to be worn over the user's shoulders, each of the pair of straps having a strap adjustment mechanism; a connector coupled to the pair of straps, the connector extending between the pair of straps and having a buckle to join and alternatively separate the pair of straps and a connector adjustment mechanism to tighten and alternatively loosen the connector, the connector extending horizontally between the pair of straps and being coplanar with a horizontal junction between the upper portion and middle portion of the pad; a pole support coupled to the back plate, the pole support being coupled to the outer face and extending from adjacent the bottom edge to adjacent the top edge, the pole support having a top side, a bottom side, and an outer wall, the top side having a pole aperture extending through to proximal the bottom side, the outer wall being rounded; and an umbrella coupled to the pole support, the umbrella having an umbrella pole coupled within the pole aperture, a runner hub slidingly coupled to the umbrella pole, a canopy coupled to the umbrella pole, and a plurality of ribs coupled between the runner hub and the canopy, the runner hub opening and alternatively collapsing the canopy, the runner hub having a spring-loaded extension button, the extension button selectively engaging and disengaging the umbrella pole, the umbrella pole having a spring-loaded pole adjustment button, the pole adjustment button being selectively engageable with a plurality of adjustment apertures extending through the outer wall. 